Local briefs: Topeka RV and Sport Show coming up

Saturday

Kansas Expocentre is getting ready for another three-day event focused on outdoors enthusiasts next weekend with the Topeka RV and Sport Show.

The show will run from 1 to 7 p.m. Feb. 16, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 17 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 18. Tickets are $8, and youths 16 and under get in free. The event will showcase one of the largest displays on RVs and campers under one roof, with savings on newer models of coaches, trailers, fifth-wheels, campers, pop-ups and more.

There also will be a tour of a tiny home on wheels and several giveaways, including a Richard Petty NASCAR driving experience and ride-along.

For more information, contact show manager Brandon Deets at (816) 233-2845 or brandond@rjpromotions.com.

Riphahn, Kehde to speak about Kansas River

Speaker Bill Riphahn, of the Shawnee County Parks and Recreation department, will present from noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 14 as part of the Great Overland Station's current exhibit, "The Kaw: A Prairie River Shapes a State."

He will share historical insights from the Oregon Trail era along with his own personal experiences along the Kaw. The programs, which will take place during the second Wednesdays each month through May, are free to members or $5 to non-members, which is the standard admission rate. Participants can tour the Station and see the exhibit. Bottled water is available but no food. Bring your own lunch if you wish.

Longtime outdoors writer and freshwater fishing hall-of-famer Ned Kehde also will present next month, March 14, on the topic "Fish Tales from the Kaw." His presentation also will be from noon to 1 p.m.

PROFESSIONAL

Source: Rangers ‘not even close’ before Darvish takes Cubs’ offer

Yu Darvish is going to the Chicago Cubs, a source confirmed, with a six-year deal worth at least $126 million after his No. 1 landing spot failed to make a competitive offer.

The same source said that the Texas Rangers, the team that brought Darvish from Japan in 2012 and traded him away July 31, were “not even close” in their pursuit of the right-hander who has made his home in Dallas and was interested in a reunion.

General manager Jon Daniels said on Friday that the Rangers could add a big-time free agent with so many still on the market, but he didn’t expect that to happen. He was repeating a familiar refrain from early in the offseason.

The Cubs have yet to formally announce the deal.

Vikings deny Giants permission to interview Stefanski

The Giants will need to keep searching for their next offensive coordinator.

The Vikings denied the Giants permission to interview quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski to be their OC, according to ESPN. Stefanski, who has been with the Vikings since 2006, will remain in Minnesota and won’t be joining new Big Blue head coach Pat Shurmur.

The Sporting News reported earlier this week that Stefanski was Shurmur’s preferred choice for offensive coordinator, but the Vikings would not release him from his contract unless they were able to hire Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo as their next OC.

The Vikings hired DeFilippo on Friday, and they still decided to keep Stefanksi, who only has one year of experience as quarterbacks coach. He served as running backs coach in 2016 and tight ends coach in 2014 and 2015. Shurmur and Stefanski spent two years together in Minnesota.

Clippers get ignored by Griffin in win over Pistons

Blake Griffin lowered his head and walked off the court after his old Los Angeles Clippers team defeated his new Detroit Pistons team, 108-95, without saying a word to anyone from LA.

Griffin didn’t shake any of his former teammates’ hands before or after the Clippers ran away from the Pistons in the fourth quarter with a 31-15 outburst Friday night at Little Caesars Arena.

Griffin didn’t talk to any of the Clippers’ coaches or the support staff before or after L.A. snapped Detroit’s five-game winning streak.

Self wins crash-filled ARCA season opener

Michael Self survived two multi-car melees in the closing laps to win the crash-filled ARCA Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday.

Self pulled away from the field on a third and final one-lap shootout. He stayed out front without any challenges and won the three-plus-hour race to kick off Speedweeks.

"Survive, man," Self said. "Just survived, got lucky, made it through a couple of wrecks. Just overcame a lot. This thing has been beat up."

By the end, Self didn't even have brakes as he coasted to a stop on pit road.

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